Oregon Watchdog: Ore. Democrats call for teamwork after Timber Payments talks break down

Oregon Legislature
House Majority Office

PRESS RELEASE: June 24, 2008

Feds Force Counties & State to Pick Up Pieces After Timber Payments Talks Break Down

Oregon House Democrats Call for teamwork, balance and fairness
to overcome loss of over $230 million for Rural Counties

House Democrats today renewed calls on the federal government to authorize continued federal forest payments to timber dependent counties, or allow the state greater control in managing federal lands that were part of the timber payments program.

But House Majority Leader Dave Hunt and State Rep. Arnie Roblan, chair of the House Interim Rural Policy Committee, said the state must continue moving forward as if those payments will not come to Oregon this year or in the future by acting upon some of the recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force which were delivered to the Governor and legislative leaders this morning.

Hunt (D-Clackamas County), in reviewing the recommendations of Governor Ted Kulongoski’s Task Force on Federal Timber Payments, said this broken promise by the federal government has severe impacts on rural counties. Oregon counties face the loss $206 million in county payments and another $32 million lost in school payments.

“We will continue to push the federal government to make good on its word to Oregon counties. But this report recognizes we must move forward, putting in place options for these hard-hit counties to defray the impacts on schools, public safety, roads and other essential county services,” said Hunt. “To do that will take teamwork, balance and fairness as we work through this issue.”

State Rep. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), a member of the Task Force, said the state, county and city governments must all work together to identify savings and target ways to share or shift services. “That’s the teamwork we need to overcome this loss,” said Roblan.

He added the task force recommends balancing a need for additional timber harvest with sustainable forest practices and environmental issues. And he added the state must fairly deal with all counties in how it pays for services.

“Here are two examples. The task force recommends an increase in harvests, but done to thin existing stands rather than clear cut huge tracts of forest land. That’s the balancing act we must accomplish,” said Roblan. “And finally, we must be fair. Today, Oregon pays for coroners in 31 of our 36 counties. But all five of the counties where we don’t fund this service are timber dependent counties. Those are the kinds of situations we can and must correct.”

Hunt said as the Legislature and Governor draw closer to the 2009 session, the task force recommendations will form the basis of potential legislation and budget negotiations.

“There is simply no way our state and counties can absorb the loss of over $200 million without significant impacts on public safety, community corrections, mental health services and our schools,” said Hunt. “Federal inaction in approving our timber payments has the potential to create real trouble for the people of our state. Helping counties through this crisis is one of the top priorities of House Democrats for this year and 2009.”
###